Brown Girls Climb

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Brooklyn, NY
Brown Girls Climb

National Non-profit that creates mentorship provides access, & celebrates storytelling in the outdoors & climbing

Our process is adaptive and emergent with a focus on building equitable and just relationships in all the efforts we commit to, including meet-ups and mentorship, resource sharing and redistribution, and employment and industry practices

Historically, we have focused on Women of Color in climbing, but recognize that our work goes beyond women such that our hope is to have a wider impact for all climbers, specifically those impacted by patriarchal systems.

08/17/2026

July was a BUSY month! 🫶🏾 But we’re excited to share more highlights.

This July, we teamed up with our homies over at Hike Clerb Inc. for a Climb + Hike Day in the Gunks! 🧗🏾‍♀️🥾🌿

It was such a beautiful way for folks from NYC to spend the day outside learning about climbing, getting on rock, and building a deeper connection to the land around us.

Participants learned about climbing gear and skills, but we also talked about what it means to care for the places where we recreate not just so we can continue to enjoy them, but to respect the plants, wildlife, ecosystems, and Indigenous connections to these lands.

One of our favorite parts of the day was seeing so many different experience levels come together. We had folks climbing outside for the very first time alongside seasoned climbers, all encouraging and supporting one another along the way. 💛

We closed out the climbing portion with a reflection:
🪵 What stuck with us?
🪨 What rocked our world?
🍁 What do we want to leave behind?

(Thanks, hann, for this creative way to reflect!)

It was beautiful hearing folks share about stepping outside their comfort zones, challenging themselves, and feeling supported by the community while doing it.

After climbing, we reset with a mini hike down to the water, spotting berries, ferns, and other little gems along the way. 🌿🫐

So many folks helped make this day happen!

Big thank you to Arc'teryx Arc’teryx New York for supporting transportation and providing swag for participants. 🙌🏾

Thank you to Ace Hotel Brooklyn for giving us a space to gather for pickup and drop-off, and shout-out to OutlandishNYC for letting us use the space for swag pickup!

A huge shout-out to Rise Outside for continuing to be such a wonderful guide partner. 🧗🏾‍♀️

And the BIGGEST shout-out to the BGC + HikeClerb teams including JTB | Pilates Instructor & Personal Stylist, lauren, and Brittany Leavitt for bringing this collaboration to life. This event was months in the making, and it was such a beautiful day. 🫶🏾

We’re always stoked to create more ways for folks to connect, build community, and spend meaningful time outside together. 🥾✌🏾.

08/14/2026

Last month, the Brown Girls Climb Boston chapter hosted an outdoor climbing meetup in Rumney, New Hampshire! 🧗🏾‍♀️⛰️

This meetup was designed for Women and Genderqueer Folks of Color to explore the world of outdoor climbing in a supportive and community-oriented environment.

Attendees arrived with a wide range of climbing experience. The Boston climb day included two folks who had never climbed before and were really excited to try a new activity. The participants were all very supportive of one another, providing encouragement for the more novice climbers. Slab was a new terrain for a lot of people, and everyone did a great job keeping up good spirits while trying something outside of their comfort zones.

Want to link-up with outdoor climbing partners in your area? Connect with Brown Girls Climb on Discord and meet women and genderqueer climbers of color in your region and across the country.

Find out more: https://discord.com/invite/Qx7TfTWGF2

08/12/2026

🧗🏾‍♀️🌿 Another Gym to Crag Program in the books!

A huge thank you to all of our partners and sponsors who helped make another year of this program possible! 🫶🏾

The Gym to Crag Program focuses on building skills, confidence, and knowledge indoors, then bringing it all together with a full day of climbing outdoors.

Big love to MetroRock Bushwick for continuing to be such a solid gym partner and creating space for our participants to learn, practice, and grow.

This year, we were also able to build out climber kits for participants thanks to support from La Sportiva North America and Arc'teryx. 🙌🏾

We celebrated the end of the program by taking everything we practiced indoors to Peterskill in the Gunks! Our outdoor day included:

🪢 An anchor overview
🌿 Reviewing Leave No Trace principles
🐛 Learning about the flora, fauna, and landscape around us
🧗🏾‍♀️ Lots of climbing and opportunities to challenge ourselves
✨ And a celebratory belay rappel off Terror Dome!

We are so proud of this crew and stoked to see where they take their climbing next!

A huge shout-out to our guide partner, Rise Outside, for supporting our outdoor climbing day and helping bring all of the learning together.

And while our participants learned a lot, we learned something too: our community is stoked to go deeper! Folks are looking for more opportunities to build the technical skills and knowledge that can better prepare them for climbing outside.

As we head into our fall season, stay tuned for workshops and outdoor climb days focused on continuing to build those skills. We’re also excited about the possibility of developing a more advanced version of Gym to Crag in the future! 👀

A BIG thank you to NYC Service and Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani for supporting this program and helping make Year 2 possible.

And the biggest thank you to Vic for co-leading this program with BGC again! We appreciate the knowledge, guidance, and stoke you continue to bring as a guide. 🫶🏾

📸 And thank you to photographers Amy and Athe Torri Cervantes for capturing so many wonderful moments throughout the program!

08/10/2026

We are back with a new date!

Join the Brown Girls Climb Colorado Chapter for an outdoor top-rope climbing day at .

This event is designed for climbers getting outside for the first time or looking for a refresher on outdoor climbing safety and best practices.

Learn about crag etiquette and safety, outdoor top-roping basics, and single-pitch sport climbing gear from certified climbing guides.

🗓️ Date: Saturday, August 29th
🕜 Time: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
🗺️ Location: Staunton State Park - Pine, CO
💰 Price: Park entry costs $10-$12 for each car with a Colorado license plate and $16-$17 for each car with an out-of-state license plate. Entry is free if someone in your car has a Keep Colorado Wild Pass.

What to Bring:
🔹Helmet
🔹Harness
🔹Climbing Shoes
🔹Climbing Chalk
🔹Petzl Grigri or other assisted braking device

Climbing rental gear and carpooling options are available. You will receive an email with more information after registering for this event.

Register: https://exploreorigin.com/en/listings/880328-colorado-outdoor-climb-day

08/05/2026

Join us for Belonging Outside: Fostering Accessibility and Inclusion Outdoors, an evening of film and conversation on building inclusive outdoor spaces.

We’ll begin with a screening of We Are Here, a short film featuring Brown Girls Climb created by and , followed by a discussion with outdoor leaders and .

Drawing on over a decade of community organizing as climbers and expedition leaders, they’ll share insights on centering underrepresented voices and creating empowering outdoor spaces for all.

🗓️ Date: Thursday, August 13th
🕜 Time: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
🗺️ Location: Rivian - 461 W 14th St, New York, NY 10014
💰Price: Free, donations to Brown Girls Climb are appreciated.

RSVP: https://events.rivian.com/rivianpresentsbelongingoutside

Photos taken by during the We Are Here documentary shoot on Lenape, Nacotchtank, and Piscataway land.

08/04/2026

July was a busy month for Brown Girls Climb! 🧗🏾‍♀️

This month we hosted our 2nd Kilter Board Workshop! Hosted in New York City at Vital Brooklyn with Community Leader Leah Balagopal and BGC Executive Director Brittany Leavitt!

This workshop was designed for climbers who are moving into the intermediate stage and looking for ways to train more intentionally. Together we covered:
• The basics of understanding the Kilter Board
• How to use the Kilter Board app
• Movement, technique, and training strategies on the board

We also hosted a mini giveaway, thank you to our partners La Sportiva North America and Kilter Board for helping make it happen! 🙌🏾

A huge thank you to Bouldering & Fitness Gym for letting us take over the Kilter Board area for the evening and creating space for our community to learn, challenge themselves, and grow together.

We’re excited to continue expanding educational workshops across New York City and our other BGC regions that help climbers build confidence, improve their skills, and connect with community.

Have an idea for a future workshop? We’d love to hear it. Drop your suggestions below!

08/03/2026

July meetups and events are here! 🗓️

Sign up: https://linktr.ee/browngirlsclimb

✨Maryland Meetup✨

🗓️ Date: Saturday, July 8th
🕜 Time: 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM
🗺️ Location: Movement - Columbia, MD
💰Price: Free for Movement members. Non-members can purchase a day pass and rental gear for the reduced price of $15.
♿ Accessibility: The entrance to the gym has an ADA accessible ramp. The gym and top-rope areas are accessible to those with mobility aids.

📸 Climbing Photography Workshop 📸

🗓️ Date: Sunday, August 9th
🕜 Time: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
🗺️ Location: MetroRock - Bushwick, NY
💰Price: $53 for MetroRock members, $85 for non-members
👋🏿 Learn climbing photography from . No photography experience required.

✨Boston Meetup✨

🗓️ Date: Wednesday, August 12th
🕜 Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
🗺️ Location: Central Rock Gym - Arsenal Yard
💰Price: Free for Central Rock Gym members. Non-members can purchase a day pass for the reduced price of $15.
♿ Accessibility: The gym has a wheelchair accessible entrance and wheelchair accessible amenities.

🎥 Belonging Outside 🎥

🗓️ Date: Thursday, August 13th
🕜 Time: 5:00 PM - 6:45 PM
🗺️ Location: Rivian - New York, NY
💰Price: Free
👋🏿 Join us for a screening of We Are Here: A BGC Film followed by a panel discussion with and .

🍔BGC x Latino Outdoors Gear Swap and BBQ🍔

🗓️ Date: Saturday, August 15th
🕜 Time: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
🗺️ Location: Cooper Street Garden - Brooklyn NY
💰Price: Free
♿ Accessibility: There is a gravel pathway leading into the garden. There is a bathroom available on site.

✨San Diego Meetup✨

🗓️ Date: Wednesday, August 19th
🕜 Time: 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
🗺️ Location: Mesa Rime - Mira Mesa, CA
💰Price: Free for all attendees, includes rental gear
♿ Accessibility: The has a ramp accessible entrance and top-rope area. Adaptive climbing facilitation is available if requested in advance.

📸 Photos taken by our talented Las Vegas local leader !

07/30/2026

The third screening in the Brown Girls Climb Film Tour happened in Boston at ! 🎥🧗🏾‍♀️💪🏾

Attendees were met by Brown Girls Climb local leaders .wandering.cindy and Wendy Lee, along with Brown Girls Climb Executive Director . We also had representation from local Boston outdoor organizations with Kayden tabling from .social.

We enjoyed pizza while watching the film, followed by a community conversation and Q&A where everyone had the chance to reflect, ask questions, and connect.

Be sure to join the Brown Girls Climb Discord to stay up to date on upcoming events, workshops, and community happenings in the Boston region!

We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who helped make this film possible:

📸
🧗🏾 + guide teams
🎬 &

Stay tuned for more screenings of We Are Here: A BGC Film, coming to a venue near you!

07/29/2026

📸 Climbing Photography Workshop 🧗🏾‍♀️

Last year, Brown Girls Climb partnered with Rise Outside to host our Climbing Photography Workshop at Peterskill in the Gunks. It was an incredible experience, but we also realized that getting to the Gunks can be a barrier for many people.

That's why we're excited to bring this workshop indoors at MetroRock Brooklyn, making it more accessible while still teaching the core skills you need to create beautiful climbing images.

📅 Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
💲 Cost: $85 for non-members | $53 for MetroRock members

This workshop is open to allies and people from marginalized communities who are interested in learning climbing photography.

This workshop is a great fit for:
📸 Climbers who want to take better photos of themselves and their friends
🧗🏾 Community members who photograph climbing meetups, events, and workshops
🌲 Outdoor enthusiasts who love documenting their adventures
📱 Anyone interested in learning climbing photography using a phone, point-and-shoot, or DSLR camera

No photography experience is required!

During the workshop we'll cover:
📍 Planning a climbing photoshoot
📍 Composition and lighting techniques
📍 Creating images safely while climbing
📍 Rope ascension and positioning to capture unique angles
📍 How indoor climbing photography skills translate to outdoor environments

To keep the workshop hands-on, registration is limited to 8 participants, giving everyone plenty of opportunities to practice, receive individualized instruction, and work through different photography setups in a supportive environment.

Whether you're hoping to capture your next send, document your community, or tell better stories through photography, we'd love to have you join us.

📷 Bring whatever camera you already have your phone, a point-and-shoot, or a DSLR and get ready to see climbing from a whole new perspective.

🔗 Register: https://exploreorigin.com/en/listings/880444-climbing-photography

07/24/2026

2026 marks 10 years of Brown Girls Climb! 🎂🎈We’re taking time to acknowledge all of the incredible people who have supported our organization over the past decade.

Today, we want to celebrate our photographers, and we are throwing it back to the early days of Brown Girls Climb! Want to meet the women and genderqueer photographers who captured our initial meetups and events? Check out this post! 📷

These photographers have documented our programs over the years, helping capture the moments, connections, and milestones we’ve been fortunate to co-create. From the Flash Foxy AMGA SPI Course and the beloved festival with BOC, to workshops, meetups, community gatherings, and so much more, their work has helped tell the story of our community and its growth.

Stay tuned to learn about the cis men of color who supported Brown Girls Climb through photography in the organization’s early days, along with the rest of the amazing people who have supported us over the last ten years.

Want to support women and genderqueer folks of color in outdoor photography? Visit the profiles of the photographers listed in this post and consider hiring them for an upcoming event!

Brown Girls Climb keeps a list of photographers and videographers we can connect with our regions and programs. Interested in being added? Fill out the form at the link in our bio.

Address

Brooklyn, NY

Telephone

+14109604390

Website

https://www.browngirlsclimb.com/

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